Such a folding lock serves, for example, for the securing of a two-wheeler to a bicycle stand, to a lamppost or the like or for the securing of a two-wheeler against unauthorized riding away. For this purpose, the jointed bars of the jointed bar hoop connected after one another or in a row next to one another are unfolded to form an open loop that, for example, is led around a frame section of the two-wheeler and the bicycle stand, lamppost or the like or is only led through a rim of the two-wheeler. The closing bar is then latched to the lock body in order hereby to close the loop and thus to secure the two-wheeler against unauthorized removal or unauthorized riding away.
The jointed bars and the closing bar can typically be folded together to form a compact arrangement—the so-called yardstick configuration—for the transport of the folding lock by the authorized user. The jointed bars and the closing bar are pivoted in the manner of a foldable yardstick for this purpose and are hereby brought into parallel alignment with one another.
Such a folding lock is known from document DE102005040066A1, wherein the latching mechanism of this folding lock has a lock cylinder with a compulsory guidance of the latch. A folding lock having an automatic function is known from DE102013210475A1 in which the closing bar (and thus the second end of the jointed bar hoop) can be automatically latched to the lock body by the latching mechanism by introducing the closing bar into a receiving opening of the lock body.
When not in use, a folding lock of the named kind can be stored and transported in a storage device (e.g. a bag, a sleeve or a holder) such as is known from DE202005013390U1. The jointed bar hoop is folded together into said compact yardstick configuration for this purpose.
In the event of a manipulation attempt at a folding lock of the named kind to steal a two-wheeler thereby secured, the time required for the unauthorized opening of the folding lock is an important aspect. The less time available to a thief, the more difficult a successful manipulation attempt becomes.
It is therefore conceivable to equip the folding lock with an alarm device that emits an acoustic and/or optical alarm signal as soon as a manipulation attempt is detected. In practice, however, a comfortable operation of such an alarm device by the authorized user is difficult, in particular as regards the arming of the alarm device (called the “activation” of the alarm device in the following). An alarm device that is, for example, sensitive to vibration may not trigger during the transport of the folding lock and an activation of the alarm device is also not desired on every locking up of the two-wheeler (e.g. securing the two-wheeler to a bike rack of a motor vehicle).
It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a folding lock that offers increased security with respect to manipulation attempts with a comfortable operation.